WSOP One Stop Shop

[TightEnd]

Event #11: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship
Day 4 completed

Viacheslav Zhukov captures the bracelet in Omaha.

"I'm exhausted."

Those were the first words we've heard Viacheslav Zhukov speak in English all day, and they came just moments after he pulled the gold bracelet out of its box and hoisted it into the air. Photographers were clamoring for their shots, and Zhukov could barely muster a smile. Perhaps it'll be a bit later on tonight or tomorrow before the news that he's just won WSOP gold and $465,216 dollars sinks in.

This fourth day (of the three-day event) began with our final three players battling it out for the bracelet. Steve Billirakis began the day on the short stack with just more than three big bets, and it wasn't but a few hands before he was escorted to the cashier's table in third place. The board ran out {8-Spades} {5-Diamonds} {Q-Spades} {J-Hearts} {K-Diamonds} with George Lind and Viacheslav Zhukov checking it down the whole way. Zhukov bet the river finally, and Lind laid it down. Billirakis could only show {A-Clubs} {6-Diamonds} {8-Diamonds} {J-Diamonds} for two pair, and it would get him nothing. Zhukov tabled {K-Spades} {K-Clubs} {Q-Diamonds} {4-Clubs}, and his trip kings brought the match to heads-up.

After such a short journey to two-handed today, one could be forgiven for expecting a quick resolution. The orbits came and went, though, with pots growing ever-larger to keep pace with the escalating betting limits. Many times over the course of the three-hour duel it looked as if the momentum had finally swung for good. Every time, though, the other player struck right back to square the match. Every pot, it seemed, had half the chips in play up for grabs. Finally, during the 32nd level of the event, when there were just 12 big bets in play, things finally unraveled all the way for Lind.

It seems likely from his reactions that he was rivered in a big pot on a board that came {5-Spades} {K-Hearts} {10-Clubs} {9-Diamonds} {J-Diamonds}. Lind check-called a flop bet, then led the turn and river. Zhukov popped it up to 1 million straight after the final bet, and Lind was forced to fold, leaving himself with just 1.4 million of the 6 million in play. On the final hand of the match, Lind got his money in ahead with just a pair of fours, but Zhukov's {A-Clubs} {J-Clubs} {7-Hearts} {3-Spades} ran down the wheel on the {4-Diamonds} {K-Hearts} {Q-Spades} {5-Hearts} {2-Diamonds} board. It was the last hand of the day, and it was the one that gave the title to Zhukov.

Zhukov now has two career cashes on his poker tournament stat sheet. The first was a win in an EPT side event, and the second is another title here today, a World Series of Poker title. He's the first Russian to win gold in 2011, and he seems a bit too tired to enjoy it fully right now. Perhaps in the morning. "I'm exhausted," he says.

[TightEnd]

2011 World Series of Poker
Event #12: $1,500 Triple Chance No-Limit Hold’em

Congratulations to David Diaz, Winner of Event #12: $1,500 Triple Chance No-Limit Hold'em ($352,808)!

It took nearly 28 hours of play to eliminate 1,339 players but for David Diaz, it was well worth the wait. With just four tables left, this tournament still had the likes of Sam Trickett, Cliff Josephy, Bill Chen, Andy Black, J.C. Tran, Getty Mattingsly and Dan Smith. But Diaz was able to overcome them all, including a head up match with the talented Anders Meli. He will be taking home his very first WSOP gold bracelet and $352,808 for his skill and patience.

We started the final day with ten players and Diaz entered just 9th in chips. He stayed out of the heavy action early, finding spots to add chips when he could including a bluff with Ten-Three. It wasn’t until he got it all in with our Day 2 chip leader Nicholas Rampone that he took the chip lead for the first time. His {A-Diamonds}{Q-Clubs} got there on the turn against the {6-Diamonds}{6-Clubs} of Rampone. However, it wasn’t long before he got short again and in back to back hands had to come from behind in an all in preflop situation to chop both of the pots. But then it happened. Shortly after doubling up and reaching a million chips, Diaz flopped the nut flush against the second nut flush draw of Bill Chen. The two got it in and Diaz took a chip lead that he refused to relinquish.

With play three handed, Diaz continued to put pressure on the two shorter stacks, Andrea Dato and Anders Meli. Dato tried to fight back but the aggressiveness of Diaz caught up with him. Anders Meli was able to gain a little momentum before Dato’s bust but when the battle turned heads up, it was all downhill from there. Diaz poured on the aggression, forcing Meli to chip down further and further as the match progressed. On the final hand, Meli’s {4-Spades}{4-Diamonds} couldn’t hold against the {A-Hearts}{10-Diamonds} holding of Diaz and we had a champion.

When asked if he had expected to win a bracelet his year at the World Series, Diaz responded, “Actually, I expected to win two. I don’t know why but I just did.” Well, David Diaz, you are half way there.

[TightEnd]

Event #13: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
Day 2 completed


And with that, we're finished for the day and it's a great line up for tomorrow including David Pham who has two bracelets, one in a $2,000 version of this very event. Also among the field are former bracelet winners Dan Kelly, Erik Cajelais, Frank Kassela and Vitaly Lunkin.

Tomorrow the format will be of a two table sit 'n' go with eight players at each table, all starting with 450,000 chips. With payout increases on each spot from now on, we're expecting tomorrow to be a very late day before we manage to find a winner.

The final day will start tomorrow at 2.30pm - We'll see you there!


Vitaly Lunkin       450,000
Robbie Verspui       450,000    
Lars Bonding       450,000    
Robert Smith       450,000    
Daniel Makowsky       450,000    
David Pham       450,000    
Jonathan Spinks       450,000
Joseph Webber       450,000
Andrew Pantling       450,000    
Andrew Badecker       450,000    
Frank Kassela       450,000    
Erik Cajelais       450,000    
Daniel Fischer       450,000    
Eric Yates       450,000    
David Robinson       450,000    
Dan Kelly       450,000    

[TightEnd]

2011 World Series of Poker
Event #14: $3,000 Limit Hold'em


22 left

Top Chip Counts
1    Victor Ramdin    380,000
2    Tyler Bonkowski    360,000
3    Dmitry Gromov    330,000
4    Shawn Keller    300,000
5    Casey McCarrel    190,000
6    Andrew Prock    166,000
7    Matthew Suelflow    102,000
8    Mitch Shock    100,000
9    Brent Roberts    100,000
10    Shawn Buchanan    95,000

[TightEnd]

Event #15: $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em

Chip Leader Ronald Lee- 122,700

We've officially wrapped up the first ten levels of play in today's $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em event. When the day began we had 765 entrants. Now, after ten strenuous hours of play, we're down to the final 88 . Ronald Lee, 3rd place finisher in the 2010 WSOPE Main Event, finished today as our chip leader with 122,700 in chips. Trying to stay on the heels of Lee is James Carroll with 92,300.

We saw several big names enter the tournament, only to hit the rail before play ended for the day. Notable eliminations from today's field include Layne Flack, David Sklansky, Paul Magriel, Antonio Esfandiari, Humberto Brenes, and Liv Boeree. That being said, there are still some big names still alive in the field including this event's defending champion James Dempsey with over 50,000. While his stack is not the biggest in the room, he has navigated the waters of this tournament before and it will be interesting to see how he fairs against the field in day two. Other notables still alive include Joe Sebok, Ali Eslami, John Racener, John Dolan, and Alessio Isaia.


    Players Left
        88

    Entries
        765

Top Chip Counts
1    Balazs Botond    90,000
2    Christian Harder    55,100
3    John Racener    50,000
4    Andrew Cohen    48,000
5    John Dolan    46,000
6    Davidi Kitai    45,000
7    Ali Eslami    44,500
8    Jason Newburger    44,500
9    Alessio Isaia    43,900
10    Ronald Lee    42,400


James Dempsey quoted as in with 40,000 on the last chip counts

[TightEnd]

Event #16: $10,000 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship (No-Limit)

Day 1 completed

Vince Musso Leads the Pack


After eight hours of play, Vince Musso is the chip leader of Event #16: $10,000 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship with 106,200. Biting at his heels are a few very strong players though - Shaun Deeb (104,000), Nick Schulman (87,000), and Joe Cassidy (85,000) all had solid days.

After four hours of late registration, the final number of entrants for Event #16 was 126 - which is 25 more players than last year. The field attracted some of the biggest names in poker, including the three double-digit WSOP bracelet winners Phil Hellmuth (68,200), Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan, last year's winner of this event David Baker (68,200), and a plethora of other established pro's.

Unfortunately, Brunson didn't make it through the day, and neither did Eric Cloutier - the runner-up from last year. Chris Oliver, Tom "durrrr" Dwan, Jean-Robert Bellande, Phil Laak, Justin Smith and Justin Bonomo also failed to advance to Day 2.

Some notables who did advance include David "Devilfish" Ulliot (56,500), Greg Raymer (22,300), Eugene Katchalov (40,900), and Joseph Cheung (31,600).

Top Chip Counts
1    Vince Musso    106,200
2    Shaun Deeb    104,000
3    Nick Schulman    87,000
4    Joe Cassidy    85,000
5    Jennifer Harman    83,700
6    Nikolay Evdakov    80,000
7    Vladimir Shchemelev    70,000
8    Ray Dehkharghani    70,000
9    David Baker    68,200
10    Phil Hellmuth    68,200


Sam Trickett, Stuart Rutter, Matt Perrins and James Bord all in according to latest counts

[TightEnd]

James Dempsey

Lol had 10k with 10 minutes to go then K7dd>TT TT>AK and KK>66 means I end on 54k day 2 woohoooo

[Karabiner]

I've not seen Sammy Farha mentioned at all yet this year, is he unwell?

[tikay]

I've not seen Sammy Farha mentioned at all yet this year, is he unwell?

Morning Ralph.

I've no idea, but the piece below was dated June 3rd, 2011.

http://risepoker.com/2011/poker-tournaments/chris-moneymaker-defeats-sam-farha-in-wsop-grudge-match/

[NoflopsHomer]

I've not seen Sammy Farha mentioned at all yet this year, is he unwell?

Morning Ralph.

I've no idea, but the piece below was dated June 3rd, 2011.

http://risepoker.com/2011/poker-tournaments/chris-moneymaker-defeats-sam-farha-in-wsop-grudge-match/

He hasn't played a single event from what I've seen.

Btw, the Brits could potentially do even better than last year. Already 2 Bracelets, one 2nd, several 4th's (Spinks, Vamplew, Ashby and Chidwick) plus Trigger with a 6th and Watts in 10th. Nine finals from eleven events is an insane showing.

At one point a couple of nights ago, Turker, Ashby and Vamplew were all leading their final tables - potentially the Brits could've had five bracelets already out of twelve events. Spinks is in with a shout tonight in the shootout but it's a very tough looking field.

[outragous76]

http://www.pokernews.com/video/wsop-2011-james-dempsey-985737282001.htm

great interview with Flushy - looking trim too!

GL in the PLHE dude!

[pokerfan]

http://www.pokernews.com/video/wsop-2011-james-dempsey-985737282001.htm

great interview with Flushy - looking trim too!

GL in the PLHE dude!

Cool dealer @ 1:25 lol.

GL...

[Marky147]

http://www.pokernews.com/video/wsop-2011-james-dempsey-985737282001.htm

great interview with Flushy - looking trim too!

GL in the PLHE dude!

Cool dealer @ 1:25 lol.

GL...

Haha I had to watch it twice, forgot to look first time through.

1/2 with Kimberlake!!

[doogan]

http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/chipcounts.asp


gl jaffa and flushy

[outragous76]

flushy bubbled the plhe! sigh

kimber is 2nd thou

gogooggogogogo